An expanded HST/WFC3 survey of M83: Project overview and targeted supernova remnant search

Journal Article · Tue Jun 10 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/788/1/55· OSTI ID:22356670

Blair, William P.; Kuntz, K. D. ^[1]; Chandar, Rupali ^[2]; Dopita, Michael A. ^[3]; Ghavamian, Parviz ^[4]; Hammer, Derek; Long, Knox S.; Whitmore, Bradley C. ^[5]; Soria, Roberto ^[6]

---

1. The Henry A. Rowland Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States)
3. Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Australian National University, Cotter Road, Weston, ACT 2611 (Australia)
4. Department of Physics, Astronomy, and Geosciences, Towson University, Towson, MD 21252 (United States)
5. Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States)
6. Curtin Institute of Radio Astronomy, Curtin University, 1 Turner Avenue, Bentley WA 6102 (Australia)

We present an optical/NIR imaging survey of the face-on spiral galaxy M83, using data from the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). Seven fields are used to cover a large fraction of the inner disk, with observations in nine broadband and narrowband filters. In conjunction with a deep Chandra survey and other new radio and optical ground-based work, these data enable a broad range of science projects to be pursued. We provide an overview of the WFC3 data and processing and then delve into one topic, the population of young supernova remnants (SNRs). We used a search method targeted toward soft X-ray sources to identify 26 new SNRs. Many compact emission nebulae detected in [Fe II] 1.644 μm align with known remnants and this diagnostic has also been used to identify many new remnants, some of which are hard to find with optical images. We include 37 previously identified SNRs that the data reveal to be <0.''5 in angular size and thus are difficult to characterize from ground-based data. The emission line ratios seen in most of these objects are consistent with shocks in dense interstellar material rather than showing evidence of ejecta. We suggest that the overall high elemental abundances in combination with high interstellar medium pressures in M83 are responsible for this result. Future papers will expand on different aspects of the these data including a more comprehensive analysis of the overall SNR population.

• OSTI ID: 22356670
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 788; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
EMISSION
FILTERS
GALAXIES
IMAGES
IRON
NEBULAE
SOFT X RADIATION
SPACE
SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
TELESCOPES